The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-09-29

nacle was opened to-day. The same over
whelming throngs were in attendance as
before. The congregation sang with great
effect the hymn:
Before Jehovahs awful throne
Ye nations bow with sacred joy,
Know that the Lcrd is God alone
He can create and He can destroy.
After explaining appropriate passages of
Scripture DR.. Talmage took his text from
Genesis XII. Al: "And Pharaoh said unto
Joseph: See, 1 have set thee over all the
land of Egypt" The subject of the SER
mon was "The Prime Minister" DR.. Tai
mage said:
You cannot keep good man down. God
has decreed for him certain elevation TO
which he must attain. He will bring him
through, though it cost him 1000 worlds.
There are men constantly in trouble lest
they shall not be appreciated. Every man
comes in the end to be valued at Just what
he is worth. How often you see men turn
out all their forces to crush one man or set
of men. How do they succeedp No better
than did the government that tried to crush
Joseph, Scripture character upon which
we speak to-day. 1t would be an
insult to suppose that you were
not all familiar with the life
of Joseph; how his jealous brothers threw
him into the pit, but, seeing caravan Of
Arabian merchants moving along on their
camels with spices and gums that loaded
the air with aroma, sold their brother to
these merchants, who carried him down
into Egypt; how Joseph was sold to Poti-
phar, a man of influence and office; how by
integrity he raised himself to high position
in the realm, until under the false charge
- 10 toI, ho IL i,,la
tentiary; how by the Interpretation of
Pharaoh's dream he was freed and became
the chief man in the government-the Bis
marck of the nation; how in time Of famine
Joseph had control of q storehouse which
he had filed during the seven years Of
plenty; how when his brothers, who had
thrown him into the pit and sold him into
captivity, applied for corn, he sent them
home with their beasts borne down under
the heft of the corn sacks; how the sin
against their brother, which had 80 long
been hidden, came out at last, and was re-
turned by that brothers. forgiveness and
kindness, an illustrious triumph of
Christian principle.
Learn from this story in the first place
that the world is compelled to honor
Christian character. Potiphar was only o
man of the world, yet Joseph rose in his
estimation until all the affairs of that great
house we're committed to his charge. From
this servant no honors or condolences were
withheld. When Joseph was in prison he
soon won the heart of the keeper, and,
though placed there for being scoundrel,
he soon convinced the jailer that he was
an innocent and trustworthy man, and,
released from close confinement, he be-
came general superintendent of prison
affairs. Wherever Joseph was placed,
whether servant in the house of Potiphar
or prisoner in the penitentiary, he be-
came the first man everywhere, and is an
illustration Of the truth lay down that the
world is compelled to honor Christian
character.
There are those who affect 10 despise o
religious life. They speak of it as a sys-
tenn of phlebotomy, by which man is
bled of all his courage and nobility. They
say he has bemeaned himself. They pre-
tend to have no more confidence in him
since his conversion than before his con-
version. But all that is hypocrisy. 1t is
impossible for any man not to admire and
confide in Christian who shows that he
has really become a child of God and is
what he processes to be. You cannot de-
Bpise son or a daughter of the Lord God
Almighty. OF course half and half reli-
gious character wins no appreciation. Red
valid, the King of the Saxons, after Chris
tian baptism had two altais, one for the
worship of God and the other for the sac
rifce of devils. You may have a contempt
for such men for mere pretension reli-
gion, but when you behold the excellency
of Jesus Christ come ont in the life of
one of his disciples, all that there is good
and noble in your soul rises up into adj
miration. Though that Christian be as far
beneath you in estate as the Egyptian
slave of whom we are discussing, by an
irrevocable law of our nature Potiphar
and Pharaoh will always esteem Joseph.
Chrysostom, when threatened with death
by Eudoxia, the Empress, sent word to
her saying! $50 tell her that / fear moth
ing but SIM" Such nobility of character
will always be applauded. There was
something in Agrippa and Felix which de-
manded their respect for Paul, the rebel
against government. | doubt not they
would willingly have yielded their office
and dignity for the thousandth part OF that
true hetoism which beamed in the eye and
beat in the heart of the uncomfortable
Apostle. The infdel and wording are
compelled to honor in their hearts, though
Christian firm in persecution, cheerful in
poverty, trusiful in losses, triumphant in
death. find Christian men in all pro-
fessions and occupations, and find them
respected, and honored, and successful.
John Frederick 0berlin alleviating igno-
rance and distress, John Howard passing
from dungeon to lazaretto with he aling for
the body and the soul, Elizabeth Frye
kO tha Of In
prison to shake down their obduracy as the
angel came to their prison at Philippi,
driving open the doors and snapping locks
and chains, as we'll as the lives of thou
sands Of the followers Of Jesus who have
devoted themselves to the temporal and
spiritual welfare of the race, are monu-
ments of the Christian religion that shall
not crumble while the world lasts. A man
in the cars said: 81 would like to become
a Christian If only knew what religion is.
But If this lying and cheating and bad be-
havior among men who profess to be good
is religion, want none of it." But, my
friends, if am an artist in Rome and a
man comes to me and asks me what the
art Of painting is must not show him the
daub of some mere pretender. l will take
him TO the Raphaels and the Michael
Angeles. It is most unfair and dishonest
TO take the ignominious failures in Chris
tian profession instead OF the glorious
successes. The Bible and the church are
great picture galleries filled with MASTER
pieces.
Furthermore, we learn from this story Of
Joseph that the result of persecution is
elevation. Had it not been for his being
sold into Egyptian bondage by his malicious
brothers and his false imprisonment Joseph
never would have become Prime Minister.
Everybody accepts the promise; BLESSED
are they that are persecuted for righteous
ness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of
Heaven;" but they do not realize the fact
that this principle applies to worldly rs
we'll as spiritual success. 1t is true in all
departments. Had it not been for Hs-
chimes who brought impeachment against
Demosthenes, the immortal grafton, De
Norono would Y,avar hova haaY, da1iuarad